R.O.O.T. (Remembering Origins and Offering Tomorrows) is dedicated to the production and preservation of North American roots music through offering educational programs for disadvantaged youth, conducting original biographical and historical scholarship, hosting showcases for independent artists, and promoting roots music to a new generation of listeners throughout the world.

Record Label

One of our primary activities will entail recording and archiving the living blues legends in the Southern United States. We have already identified several living performers who have contributed greatly to the creation and spread of blues music who have yet to be properly recorded. R.O.O.T. plans to utilize its label to record and archive these living legends.

R.O.O.T. also plans to actively seek out already recorded roots material that is no longer in wide circulation to purchase and re-release to a new generation of roots music listeners.

Internet Radio Stations

Radio play is such an important avenue for artists to connect with potential fans. However, many traditional and contemporary roots artists are at a disadvantage because mainstream, corporate-controlled radio stations are often hesitant to play roots genres. For example, neither New York City or Los Angeles have country stations in their markets. Stations that specialize in blues, folk, and Americana rarely crack the heart of the FM dial. Fortunately, Internet and satellite radio are providing alternatives to mainstream radio and creating opportunities for those interested in roots music. For example, over 50 million Americans alone listen to Internet radio.

In order to create opportunities to promote roots music via Internet radio, R.O.O.T. will oversee the management of a network of internet radio stations that feature traditional and contemporary roots music genres. At this point we are planning to form at least four stations: one focused on classic and contemporary Americana and bluegrass, one that focuses on the blues, one that focuses on roots rock past and present, and a fourth that focuses on North American folk music.

Ernest (tall guy on the far left) with friends at the Americana Music Conference in Nashville

Roots Research

The staff of R.O.O.T. have been and will continue to remain active in conducting research related to the history of roots music and roots musicians and publishing this research via this website, via documentaries, and via published monographs. R.O.O.T. also plans to contribute original artifacts to notable roots archives such as the Blues archive of Ole Miss and the American Folklife Center of the Smithsonian Institution.

R.O.O.T. Festival Showcases

R.O.O.T. will host festival showcases that will invite up and coming roots artists to perform in front of fans and industry insiders. For 2008 we plan to sponsor showcases at: The International Folk Alliance, SXSW, the Roots Music Association Festival, and the Americana Music Conference.

Educational Concerts

R.O.O.T. will organize and subsidize educational concerts to local schools, music programs, and community organizations bringing high quality roots acts to populations that would not normally have access to them. Working with these other organizations, R.O.O.T. will locate artists, arrange transportation, and offer a small stipend to the bands that agree to perform.

Music Education for Youth Program

R.O.O.T. plans to immediately begin a program that acquires used and donated instruments from artists, labels, and music stores that can be repaired and donated free of charge to local schools and music programs. We also plan to subsidize individual and group lessons for these young people. While there is more need than we can potentially fill, our initial focus area will include impoverished regions of the Mississippi Delta and major urban centers on the east and west coast (initially New York and Los Angeles). We also plan to host our first Camp Rock n’ Roll this summer. Stay tuned for more details!

If you know of a particular program in one of these areas in need of instruments, or if you have instruments in good condition that you would be willing to donate to this program, please let us know.

Music At The Roots Festival

More information on this annual festival/fund raiser coming soon. Our goal is to launch the festival during the summer of 2008.

R.O.O.T., The Music Foundation

Tennessee Office (mailing):
PO BOX 516
Rutherford, TN 38369
elam@musicattheroots.org

Los Angeles Office (mailing):
1015 Gayley Ave, Suite # 1115
Los Angeles, CA 90024
ernest@musicattheroots.org